Fun New Stuff from LDStorymakers

Okay, a few quick announcements about some fun stuff from my fabulous friends in LDStorymakers.

There are two new blogs dedicated to books and writing.
The first features the Storymaker authors, their new releases and their wonderful book trailers.
You can find it at http://www.ldstorymakers.blogspot.com

You can also subscribe to the Storymaker's new release newsletter on the Yahoo groups setting, or from LDStorymakers.com

Then, there's the new writing blog at
http://www.ldstorymakerauthors.blogspot.com

This blog will feature a huge variety of LDStorymaker authors (including yours truly) with tips and thoughts on writing, reading, publishing and the world of books in general.

Lastly, registration for the 2010 Writer's Conference will open December 1. They're starting to post some of the awesome guests and other information, with more showing up all the time.
I'm getting really excited, so save you pennies and your time for April 23 and 24, 2010!

I'll even greet you at the registration table. :)

Santa Maybe by Aubrey Mace

I just spent a very pleasant afternoon reading Santa Maybe by Aubrey Mace.

When I saw the back liner, I was completely hooked.

Dear Santa,

I’ve been a good girl this year. (Well . . . pretty good.) I have a nice life and there’s only one thing that I really want-one thing that’s missing. If you happen to have an extra one lying around your work shop, I would really like a husband. I promise to take good care of him.

Love, Abbie

It made me giggle and I prepared myself for some fun. Sure enough, a man shows up under Abbie’s Christmas tree with no memory of who he is, or how he got there.

Okay, it seems silly, but Christmas is all about believing in things that are bigger than life so I had to see how Aubrey would play out this scheme of hers. The answer? Splendidly.

Yes, this is most definitely another romance. Rest assured that I gave myself a healthy dose of books in the spirit of Halloween, so I was ready for Christmas and a little more mush. J My poor brain keeps telling me it shouldn’t be time to think about Christmas, but all the stores I’ve been in recently seem to say that’s not the case. Sigh. How time flies when you have your nose in a good book.

Given my Christmas reluctance, Santa Maybe turned out to be an excellent ice breaker for the season. It was just the right touch of humor, holiday fun, and of course, impossible relationships that end up conquering all. There were no overly sappy, cryptic morals such as “Tis better to give, than receive” and all its various cousins. Yes, it does have a Santa element, so those that are staunchly against holiday books may still be put off, but for the rest of us it’s just plain fun- no strings attached.

I did honestly wish for the Santa element to be explored a little more than it was. That was such a amusing part of the equation. I know it wasn’t really the point, but as I read I could see a hundred possibilities of fun in my head. What can I say? I’m a sucker for types of things. I still believe in fairy tales.

I do have a bone to pick with Aubrey though. Abbie is a baker. We get to read about all the yummy things she’s making, but there’s not a single stinking recipe in the entire book. That, to me, is cruel and unusual punishment. The least Aubrey could have done was tuck one in the back of the book, but, noooooo.

I came away very, very hungry. You’ve been given fair warning- be prepared to feed your inner cupcake monster while reading this one.

Great job, Aubrey! Now I’m torn: is Spare Change my favorite Aubrey Mace title or Santa Maybe? Hmmmmm.

Okay, Now I'm Blushing

My good friend, and historical fiction author, Lauri L.C. Lewis just did me a huge favor by posting a review of my latest title Simply Singing Time.

She's so sweet. :)

Go check it out at
http://laurielclewis.blogspot.com/2009/11/book-nook-review.html
and see why Laurie has me blushing!

Thank you Laurie!

Hurray for Halloween (books)

Yes, I’m afraid it’s true. I love Halloween. I’m not a blood and guts for the sake of blood and guts type of person, but I do love the myths and legends associated with the holiday.

So, in honor of my dark side (I know I seem so sweet-lol) here’s a list of my favorite Halloween-type books. Sorry, I know the Amazon links are a little tacky but simplicity was the order of the day. Sigh.

Goodnight Goon

Wake the Dead

Franny K. Stein: Lunch Walks Among Us

The Best Halloween Ever

Artemia Spooky: My Haunted House

The Great Ghost Rescue

Aunt Dimity’s Death

The Awakening

The Graveyard Book

Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side (Though I don’t agree with the “I’m so love sick I can’t be a normal, productive human being anymore” philosophy.)

Lily Dale: Awakening

Shadow Land by Meg Cabot

Got a favorite? Let me know, my “to-read” is always looking for a few more entries!

Tower of Strength by Annette Lyon

Tower of Strength by Annette Lyon is a sweet love story about a strong woman who is making her mark on the world in an age when women were looked down upon for such things. Tabitha made a wonderful heroine who has to learn that there are times to be strong and there are times when being strong means letting someone else share in your burden. Sometimes that’s a tough lesson to learn and I enjoyed exploring it through Tabitha’s eyes.

True to the nature of her last three books, Annette has given us another “temple” book. I think she’s really found her historical niche. This account takes place during the construction of the Manti temple, mostly in the year 1884. While the temple is not necessarily what the book is about, it is central to her character’s lives. I’ve enjoyed the way Annette is able to weave a good story with the history of our temples, she really puts you not only into the people’s lives but the temple construction site, as well. She gives the readers a sense of personally vested interest in the progress.

Love interest? Of course. I love that he has his own flaws and talents that make him stand out.

A sense history, time and place? Yes. I also appreciated the subplot involving the horse; though a little bird told me Annette has vowed never to write about horses again. I can’t say I’d blame her for making such a promise.

Worth the read? Absolutely. I truly cared about Tabitha and what she could make out of her life.

Do I have any whines or complaints? Sort of.

I had a great time reading the Tower of Strength for the story’s sake. There is no fault to be found with Annette’s ability to tell a great story. But, though I loved the characters and the account, for some reason I did feel the personal attachment in the temple construction as I have in some of the others. Does that make sense? I’m not really sure why I didn’t gain that connection this time. At least for me, the information about the Manti temple seemed very toned down and didn’t really play into the story until the end.

Tower of Strength will go on my re-read shelf. I have a feeling I’m not done learning from it yet.

If you haven’t yet tried this series, I’d highly recommend it. It’s reading time well spent.

Gearing Up For NaNoWriMo

Soooo, here’s my dilemma. It’s almost NaNoWriMo time and I still haven’t picked my project. I went through my active files and chose the one I wanted to finish first, but I can’t decide if it’s cheating to start with 12,000 words if you still set a goal of writing 50,000 more.


The whole point is to start with only an idea and a determined spirit and come out the other end of November with a 50,000 word novel. No, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a good one. It’s more an exercise in kicking yourself in the pants and demonstrating that you really can write when you put your mind to it.


I could start something entirely new, of course. But that opens up another Pandora’s Box of decisions. My idea file is quite extensive and more than a handful are screaming “Pick me! Pick me!”


It’s quite a problem as you can see.
What would you do if you were me?